If you’re an entrepreneur either looking to move into your first office or simply looking for a change of scenery, co-working spaces can be a fantastic option for you. They are often a little more expensive than renting an office in the traditional manner, but there are a number of reasons why they can be a great office space option for your small business. Peter Ames of Office Genie, a UK marketplace for desk and office space, picks four of the best.

I’m currently looking at my investment portfolio and deciding how much of my wealth I want tied up in businesses… my own and others. Investing in business is a high risk strategy as so much depends on the people running the business and their understanding of what business really is. I’m always on my soap box about small business owner operators needing to grasp the basics of what makes their business valuable. I know what I think, but I wanted to see if other business experts think the…

If you have a local family business that’s been around for a while but has now gotten into trouble or sales are slowing, chances are good that your success came from providing a high level of service and advertising locally via the Yellow Pages and through word of mouth courtesy of your long term clientele.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where change is happening faster and faster, and lots of small family businesses are getting left behind and…

If you want your startup to succeed, you’re going to have to motivate your employees. It’s one of the basic tenets of business. There are several schools of thought on how best to do this. What I’ve learned from growing companies like TicketPrinting.com, though, is that it doesn’t matter what you do to motivate your employees as long as you follow four basic rules.

Refurbishing old furniture has always been a passion shared between my husband and I. Recently we decided to turn our full-time hobby into a side business for me to run while my husband works his day job. It made a lot of sense – we owned our own workspace and tools and could afford to spend a little on advertising. However, since neither of us has ever even operated a lemonade stand before, let alone a legitimate business, it was still a bit scary.

To be great doesn’t happen alone. Sometimes it’s a great spouse, sometimes it’s a great business partner, but all too often these days it is thanks to an exceptional VA. What’s a VA you may be asking. A virtual assistant can help you go from surviving and striving to arriving and excelling. The tasks that a VA can help you with are vast and finding the right one can feel like a dating game. The beautiful thing is that once you find someone who shares your vision, it can be the fuel that…

Want to build a custom web app? Looking to create a website for your business? Cost will be an important consideration, and you’ll probably request bids from two or more firms. But before you sign on the dotted line, be sure you understand a) the risks behind the prices quoted; and b) how those risks might affect the outcome and cost of your project.

Most web design and development firms present quotes (or proposals) in one of two ways: as a fixed bid or an estimate. Here’s what you…

Why do people get into business for themselves? When I present to business groups I often ask people why they decided to start a business. The answers are always the same. To be my own boss/to be free to choose how I work/I’m good at what I do… so why should I line someone else’s pockets/I’ve got a great idea, I know it will work…

The reality of owning your own business is that it is hard work, it is high risk, it takes its toll on your time, your pocket and your energy. In the…

Considering a mobile site for your business? You probably should. Internet users are increasingly accessing the Web via mobile devices. In the five short years since the iPhone hit the market, more than half of US consumers have purchased a smartphone. Of those smartphone owners, the vast majority regularly use their phones to access the Internet. Having a mobile site allows you to serve the needs of both mobile and desktop users while…

A joint venture is the collaboration of 2 or more business owners for the purpose of gaining wider exposure to their target market. Think about it – you have a following of people, your community, your list – call it what you will. Collaborating with other entrepreneurs who also have lists, who might be interested in your services, and vice-versa, makes for a win-win situation.

There are many ways to conduct a joint venture but the easiest way is to organize a Giveaway Event. Reach…

When you find a virtual assistant, the next step is to empower that person to reach their full potential. If you want to see them accomplish the most for your company, you won’t rein them in — you’ll set them free by following these suggestions.

Tell them your goals, make them part of your team If you want them to manage your social media accounts, good. Tell them your expectations and how often you’d like to see posts. If you want them to do administrative work,…

Business cards are underestimated as a marketing tool, yet it’s one of the things that we use most often in promoting our businesses. Your business card should be given careful consideration; something that someone will look at and get a very good idea not only of what you do, but what you can do for them.

So often we treat our business cards as only a way to hand out our phone number and , but that’s really a missed opportunity, and not the best use of your marketing dollars. You’ve…

My lovely client Bridgette (from Village PR in Tauranga) told me the funniest story about a tennis game she played in Fiji recently. The parallels to and lessons about business were clearly apparent to us both so I just have to share it…

Bridgette it turns out is a bit of a gun tennis player, or at least she was in her youth, having played for Otago Under 12s. She…

For most creative types and spiritual entrepreneurs, “sell” is the really dirty four-letter word. Nobody wants to do it, talk about it or even think about it! But without a little self-promotion, you, your services and your talents end up becoming the best-kept-secret in the biz! So how do you get in front of people and tout your brilliance without feeling pushy, arrogant, or salesy?

To help you with this I’m sharing my top 6 Secrets for Truly Shameless…

Recently several of my clients have come to me for assistance in converting their documents to a pdf format. Pdf documents (Portable Document Format) are the most widely recognized and secure form of electronic documents for reliable storage, sharing and distribution. You’ll be pleased to know that it’s simple to create and manage pdf documents without any expensive…

Money. It’s never a neutral topic, whether you have a lot of it, or a little. Whether you have healthy , or are heavily in debt, money, in our society holds an emotional charge. The reason isn’t really money itself, it’s what it means to the quality of our lives. As the saying goes, “money can’t buy you love”,…

As a solopreneur there are limits to how far you can take your business in its growth cycle. If you are seeking bigger things, you'll want to create an advisory board of professionals who can help you grow to the next level. Here are three quick tips to help you get that set…

I remember a conversation I had with my friend Melissa Clark Reynolds many years ago. She probably won’t even remember it. We were standing in the changing room of the local swimming pool centre at the time. Melissa had just sold her first business to Southern Cross and I was still mid way into the building of my advertising agency, a long time before I became a business…